On Some Road
by Remco Helbers
Edition Blue, 2002
http://www.editionblue.com
Remco Helbers, from the Netherlands, uses an infinite-sustain string
synthesizer, loops, and some Oriental bells to create a meditative album of
drones. The music is inspired by the abstract paintings of British artist
John Kimber, and images of the artworks are included in the full CD package.
The music is as abstract as the art: there is no rhythm, just a gentle,
floating mood, with little or no loud-soft changes. Each track hovers around
a cluster of notes in a chord, and the basic harmony doesn’t change during
the duration of that track, though some notes may fade in and out. Some of
these harmonies are major and thus feel soothing; others are minor and sound
plaintive. A couple of tracks explore a more dissonant collection of notes,
which gives them an alien, spooky sound. But none of these pieces is harsh;
Helbers maintains a steady, contemplative quality . On Some Road with
its long sustained stretches and unbroken surface, is a good soundtrack for
inner exploration, or for dreams touched with melancholy.